In the world of books, it's been a prolific year. In recent months, we've seen a memoir from a woman who helped spawn a culinary revolution, desserts from top pastry chefs and homages to vegetables, along with tomes showcasing Indian Ocean cuisine, Middle Eastern ingredients and historical essays.

Just in time for holiday gift-giving, here's a look at some of our favorites:

"Artichoke to Za'atar." Originally published in Australia by authors Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf, this updated, ingredient-driven cookbook presents the bounty of the Middle East.

Each small chapter is divided by the main ingredient, from (of course) artichoke to za'atar, and everything in between, like less common orange-blossom water or quince. A handful of recipes accompany each chapter, and many incorporate several ingredients, like the Southern fried chicken with Eastern spice.

Thorough introductions at the beginning of each section make this a solid reference book for anyone interested in exploring the foods of the region.

"Artichoke to Za'atar," by Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf (University of California Press, 336 pages, $29.95, due out in February 2008).

"Dolce Italiano." Tiramisu and zabaglione are so over. In "Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen," pastry chef Gina DePalma gives readers a mouthwatering and detailed look at what Italian sweets can really be at Mario Batali's famed New York restaurant.

Crisp, doughnut-like lemon ricotta fritters, yogurt cheesecake with pine nut brittle, and chocolate and tangerine semifreddo are just a few of the dishes that readers can re-create at home.

Photos are scarce, but several simple recipes make this a collection worth owning, especially for those who favor the not-too-sweet endings associated with Italian cuisine.

"The Elements of Cooking." Consider it either a step up from the "basics" or a step down from a celebrity chef's book - "The Elements of Cooking" is a good reference for cooks who know their way around a kitchen but want to sharpen their skills.

The familiar voice that delighted readers in Michael Ruhlman's "The Making of a Chef" is threaded throughout the blurbs and definitions.

Eight essays on subjects from stock to eggs kick off the text, and in the A to Z guide, readers will learn about pellicles, how to "bard" and what that trippy pattern on chefs' pants is called.

"Food: The History of Taste." For history buffs, this is a "don't miss." Edited by Yale professor Paul Freedman, this impressive collection of essays by historians around the world gives a detailed look at why our food culture evolved in the way it did and how we came to eat the foods we do today.

Readers will learn about the evolution of the Chinese food culture, how technical progress relates to food and the tastes of ancient Greece and Rome.

Beautifully illustrated, it's the perfect coffee table book to absorb in bits and pieces.

"Food: The History of Taste," edited by Paul Freedman (University of California Press, 368 pages, $39.95).

"Indulge." For the past two years, Claire Clark has been producing inspired desserts as the French Laundry's head pastry chef. But she previously honed her craft at restaurants in her native England.

Now, drawing from her personal repertoire as well as the French Laundry's dessert collection, she brings 100 impressive recipes to the pages of "Indulge."

Clark's tone is casual and approachable, and unlike the other books that have stemmed from Keller's empire, many of the recipes in "Indulge" are surprisingly straightforward, like the vanilla bean-scented shortbread, which has become a restaurant staple.

"Pure Dessert." In her sixth cookbook, local chef and author Alice Medrich shows readers that desserts need not require three lengthy components nor use every bowl in the house. Even the simplest honey ice cream can be impressive and beautiful, as long as the honey is the best you can find.

Still, her recipes are imaginative and make use of interesting combinations like pound cake made with whole-grain kamut flour or nibby buckwheat linzer hearts.

Variations are listed when apropos, and Medrich's knowledgeable voice can be heard in tips and recipe headnotes, where she'll also list serving suggestions to partner compatible recipes.

"Veganomicon." To get three meals on the table each day, vegans have to be pretty creative. Most takeout food isn't an option, and finding acceptable protein alternatives can be tough.

Enter "Veganomicon," the third cookbook from vegan authors Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. The unassuming book is full of recipes for which even a carnivore would give up a night of meat. With a mere chapter on "meat alternatives," the rest of the pages are crammed with ideas like red lentil-cauliflower curry and leek and bean cassoulet with biscuits.

"Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone." During the past decade, vegetable and meat lovers alike have called Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" their bible; a go-to reference book, akin to a vegetable-based "Joy of Cooking."

For its 10th birthday, the book has been reprinted as an anniversary addition, with a new introduction by Madison.

Hole up on a cold winter night with a dish of homey green lentils and spinach with hard-cooked eggs and toast, or impress guests with a leek and goat cheese galette. With 1,400 recipes, the book is a must-have for any vegetable-loving friend or relative.

"Where Flavor Was Born." Andreas Viestad is known for his PBS series, "New Scandinavian Cooking." Now his second book ventures far beyond his Norwegian roots.

"Where Flavor was Born" explores the edge of the Indian Ocean, from Australia around to South Africa, stopping at Thailand, Malaysia and Bali, and stretching up through the Red Sea to Egypt.

On vividly colored pages, between recipes for potato croquettes with ginger and honey and turmeric squid with tamarind sauce, Viestad charts his travels with anecdotes that turn the book into a journal and history lesson as well a collection of recipes and reference for the area's spice trade.

More gift-giving options

The following cookbooks are among those recommended in recent reviews in the Food section and in The Chronicle's Book Review section. You can read those reviews by clicking on the links that accompany today's story on SFGate.com.

Shortbread

From "Indulge" by Claire Clark (Whitecap Books Ltd., 2007). Clark lists ingredient amounts in grams and ounces. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale.

225 grams (8 ounces) plain flour

75 grams (2 3/4 ounces) caster sugar (ultra fine sugar)

1 vanilla pod

150 grams (5 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

50 grams (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar, for dusting

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350°. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the caster sugar. Using a sharp knife, slit the vanilla pod open lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the tip of the knife. Add the seeds to the bowl, along with the butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients. As the mixture begins to come together, use your hand to help it form a dough (alternatively, you could use an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on a low speed to make the dough).

Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 15 oblongs and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the baking sheet around and continue baking for 10 minutes, until the shortbread is golden brown. Remove from the oven and dust with an even coating of granulated sugar. Leave on the baking sheet to cool.

Instructions: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, amaretti crumbs, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until thoroughly combined.

Place the ricotta and lemon zest in another bowl. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs lightly with the rum and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to the ricotta mixture and whisk to combine them well. Add the dry ingredients and the chopped chocolate and use a fork to mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Do not over-mix; a few lumps of ricotta are fine.

Heat about 2 inches (4 cups) olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or a deep fryer until it reaches 360°. Working in batches, drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls into the oil and fry them until they are a deep golden brown on both sides. Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to remove them from the oil, and drain them on paper towels.

Serve the fritters warm, with a generous dredging of confectioners' sugar.